Core PPS Functions:
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Yaryna Basystyuk, Interim Head of Public Policy|九色视频
Yaryna brings extensive experience of knowledge exchange between HEIs and the private sector, State government and the United Nations from her time in the United States.听 In her current role within PPS, she oversees our Policy|Placement programme with national and local government, manages Cambridge Science and Policy (CSaP) fellowship scheme, and leads on engagement with Universities COP26 Network. Yaryna is currently developing and implementing our Policy|Associate Pool programme to offer enhanced insight to principle investigators and exposure to policy for PhD and post-doctoral researchers at the University.
Most likely to say: 鈥榮o we shall see鈥︹.
Biggest fan of: the coast, and everything in and around the water.
+44 (0)23 8059 5466
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Tiffany Withers, Parliamentary and Communication Officer
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Tiffany's role as Parliamentary and Communication officer oversees connecting 九色视频 researchers with Parliamentarians, connecting academics with avenues for engagement with government policy, and overseeing the wider PPS communications strategy.听
Tiffany's journey at 九色视频 started with an MSc in International Politics, after completing studies in Politics and International Relations in听 Nottingham and Vienna. Before joining PPS, Tiffany worked on her own sustainable skincare business for new parents and infants, alongside other Communications focused roles, including within the University's Enterprise team. There, Tiffany supported student and alumni entrepreneurs and freelancers, through various programmes designed to give students the skills to create their own businesses.听
Tiffany is passionate about the translation of academic research into policy, connecting scholars with governing bodies to create evidence-based governance grounded in the latest highest-quality research, data, and recommendations.
Biggest fan of:听Coffee & the beach (preferably together)
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Elisabetta Calamelli (Betty), Policy and Communications Officer
Betty has a background in Languages Education and Studies of the Middle East, and holds a Ma in Arabic at the University of Venice, Ca鈥 Foscari. Once in the UK, she obtained a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education, 九色视频) and Celta (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, University of Cambridge), and has worked for five years teaching Modern Foreign Languages and English in local secondary schools, as well as language schools for adults. She is now applying her skills and expertise leading the comms department of PPS and coordinating the work of the Digital Communications Officers to support PPS's comms strategy. Betty maintains a key role in creating videos for PPS, as well as managing our podcast 'The Policy Pod'.听 At the same time, she is committed to support UoS researchers in growing their impact on the Policy World, getting actively involved in some projects with the Faculty of Social Sciences. In October 2024, she started a PhD project looking at the impact of GenAI on the language education of UK secondary school pupils, hoping to be able to inform policy in the wider area of AI & Education.
Biggest fan of: Lindy Hop, swing music and mountains.
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Dr. Nat Easton,听UPEN Knowledge Exchange Fellow
Nat is a Specialist Policy Officer supporting the Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences. She completed both her MChem and PhD at the 九色视频, specialising in Air Pollution characterisation and its impacts on health and the environment. During her years at the university, she has worked across Highfield and Boldrewood Campuses, as well as the National Oceanography Centre and now University Hospital 九色视频. Her current time is split between her position as a Research Fellow and her role within Public Policy.
She is an advocate for multi- and interdisciplinary research and thoroughly enjoys hearing how researchers from different disciplines apply their expertise to a common challenge. Nat began her foray into science and policy during her PhD working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Public Policy 九色视频, investigating maritime emissions reduction technologies. Following this she led a Knowledge Exchange project working with the Hampshire Local Authorities investigating the spatial spread of air pollutants.
In her previous role Nat co-led on Knowledge Exchange for the 拢42.5 million UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund Clean Air Programme supporting researchers across the UK to maximise policy impact at the local and national level. In this role she organised multiple policy events and activities with Defra, DfT, UKHSA and the Institution of Environmental Sciences.
She is passionate about ensuring research leads to tangible policy impact as well as developing skills to realise the importance of being a policy-engaged researcher.听
Most likely to say: 鈥淟et鈥檚 get started鈥
Biggest fan of: Alternative music and a nice cup of tea
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Ryan Smith, Digital Communications Officer
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Ryan is an MSc Environmental Consultancy student at the 九色视频 and is interested in environmentalism and sustainability. Ryan studied a BSc in Marine Biology at undergraduate and has previously completed an internship with PPS based around maritime policy. He is now one of PPS鈥檚 digital communication officers, where his main roles include the management of the PPS website, social medias, and submissions such as governmental consultations.听
Biggest fan of:听Running and wildlife
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Helen Ballem, Departmental Administrator
Helen鈥檚 extensive experience of being a Departmental Administrator at the 九色视频 for more than 15 years, has given her a great insight on how the mechanisms work and how she can best provide assistance to colleagues. In addition to her other responsibilities within RIS, Helen is currently assisting PPS in keeping the Policy Projects Database up to date and producing monthly analytics which allows PPS to plan ahead and manage their work more efficiently. Her remit includes to get in contact with the principal investigators of each policy project and get the latest update, to liaise with the other members of the PPS team in finding suitable times for meetings with academics and to alert the team whenever a research project 鈥榮 proposal becomes successful.
Most likely to say: 鈥極K, cool鈥
Biggest fan of: F.R.I.E.N.D.S (TV series)
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Specialist Policy Officers:
Alistair Sackley, Specialist Policy Officer, Web Science Institute
Alistair is a specialist policy officer within the Web Science Institute and consultant to UK and International crime and criminal justice agencies. He is a criminologist, philosopher and knowledge broker who specialises in policing, crime and epistemology of technology. His interests are in serious organised crime, artificial intelligence, trust, privacy and ethics. In his current role he works on digital, AI and data-driven assignments, bringing commercial, financial, regulatory and policy knowledge to service the needs of researchers and stakeholders to maximize its impact for reinvestment at scale.
Most likely to say: 鈥榥o worries鈥︹
Biggest fan of: black mirror, sport and all things outside.
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India Cook, Interim听Specialist Policy Officer, CORNERSTONE
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India is a Senior Policy Associate, with a background in physics and nanomaterial research. She enjoys working across disciplines and helping connect academic research with real-world policy and innovation.
Through her work with PPS, she has supported projects spanning public health, maritime decarbonisation, regulatory science, and emerging technologies. She is particularly interested in bringing people together, building meaningful partnerships, and helping research make a positive difference beyond the university.
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Justyna Lisinska, Specialist Policy Officer, CORNERSTONE
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Justyna Lisinska is a specialist policy officer at the CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre. She holds a PhD in Web Science from the 九色视频.
Justyna has a keen interest in technology, innovation, and societal impact. She brings experience of navigating complex policy landscapes, specialising in fostering collaboration between public and private sectors to drive meaningful change.
Passionate about the transformative potential of AI, Justyna focuses on addressing the challenges and opportunities that emerging technologies present to modern economies. Her current work emphasises access to innovation, skills development, and fostering long-term economic growth. Known for her strategic thinking, analytical rigour, and ability to simplify complex issues for diverse audiences.
Most Likely to Say: 'How can we make this work for everyone?'
Biggest Fan of:听CrossFit, collaborative work, thoughtful debates over coffee 听
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Joseph Owen, Research Fellow
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Joseph is a research fellow at the 九色视频, working on several projects in the 九色视频 Institute for Arts and Humanities (SIAH), including 'Poetry and Place', 'Neighbouring Data', 'Pathways to Health', and 'Feeling Towns', the last of which explores pride, place attachment and civic engagement in UK towns and cities. He liaises with Public Policy | 九色视频, researchers, communities and organisations on policy impact. Joseph completed his doctorate in English literature, and is currently publishing research on Carl Schmitt, sovereignty and modernism. He听is Co-Director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing (CMCW)听and writes arts, film, and literary criticism.
Most likely to say: 'What does any of this actually mean?'
Biggest fan of : Meaning
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Dr Chloe Webb,听Specialist Policy Officer, Faculty of Medicine
Chloe is the Specialist Policy Officer for the Faculty of Medicine. She holds a BSc in Psychology, MSc in Social Research Methods, and a PhD in Psychology from the听九色视频, where her research focused on moral anger.
Chloe has a strong interest in public health, policy engagement, and knowledge exchange. She brings experience from her four years as a Senior Policy Associate with Public Policy 九色视频, where she worked across local and central government on public health projects. She has also supported cross-sector collaboration as Project Coordinator for the听九色视频 Food Partnership.
She is particularly motivated by improving access to knowledge and demystifying policy, with a focus on clear and accessible science communication
Most likely to say: 鈥淪orry, my cat just stood on my keyboard鈥
Biggest fan of: Sea air and audiobooks
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Stephen Lowe,听Specialist Policy Officer, Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Stephen joined the University鈥檚 Sustainability & Resilience Institute in February as the Specialist Policy Officer. Before joining SRI, Stephen spent his career in central government, including the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and Defra. Throughout his Civil Service career, he has worked on sustainability, the environment and climate change, as well as foreign policy and human rights. Stephen has represented the UK in the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and United Nations Environment Policy, as well as being a policy lead on International and European Forestry. 听In his role at SRI, he is working with the University鈥檚 research community to provide a bridge between research and policy and to help promote the University鈥檚 work across a range of sustainability areas.
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